Snap Brings Snapchat’s Map Feature Out of Its Mobile Apps

Snap, the maker of Snapchat, is introducing a critical change for its social network platform. The company is bringing Snap Map, a feature made to allow users to discover content around them within Snapchat, out of its mobile apps to the Web.

Snap Map on Snapchat allows users to see where their friends are and what they are up to, with a bunch of privacy settings for those concerned about privacy and stalkers. But at its core, Snap Map is more than that — the feature lets you check everything that’s happening around you and the world. For months, though, the feature has only been available from Snapchat’s mobile apps.

That all changes today with the launch of Snap Map on the Web, reports Wired. The launch of Snap Map on the Web follows the recent launch of shareable Snaps, which allows users to share public snaps outside of Snapchat. With Snap Map on the Web, users can checkout all the snaps and stories happening around them, as well as major, curated events from around the world. Snap Map on the Web works exactly like it does on Snapchat’s mobile apps, with the added benefit of not requiring to have an actual Snapchat account.

Today’s expansion of Snap Map is part of Snap’s strategy to bring Stories everywhere. For years, the company has been exclusively focused on its mobile apps, especially on iPhones. But the recent competition from Instagram and stagnant user growth is pushing executives at the company to bring in much-needed strategical changes.